Sun Man
by Winddragon Eternal
Summary: Rockstar-turned-car-dealer Alvin Seville discovers that his late father has left a huge fortune to his autistic brother Simon, and the two siblings embark on a cross country trip that bonds their relationships together. Based on the 1988 film Rain Man.
1. Estranged Relationships

_Well, this is it! My first attempt at an AatC Go to The Movies fanfic. I know I said that I'd focus more on Simon, but he doesn't show up until the next chapter. My bad. Anyway, the reason I chose this movie is because when I first saw Rain Man, I could easily picture Alvin and Simon stepping into the shoes of the main characters. And I've loosened the plot a little bit to adapt to the Chipmunks' personalities. I don't own the rights to the Chipmunks or Rain Man. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 1: Estranged Relationships**

The early morning sun cast its rays on the polished surface of the Lamborghini. It was almost impossible to distinguish which was a brighter red – the car or the suit worn by the chipmunk that stood beside it admiring his reflection. _Alvin Seville, self-proclaimed car dealer extraordinaire_. The red-clad chipmunk straightened up his tie and gave himself a wink before heading back into his office where his other two colleagues were busy at work.

One of them was Lenny, who was trying to salvage the remains of a deal being made. The other was his girlfriend and Australian immigrant Brittany Miller.

"Alvin!" Lenny hissed, covering the phone's receiver. "Mr. Bateman wants to back out on his car, and he's dragging Mr. Whitman with him! Now they both want their down payments back!"

Alvin slapped his forehead. Wasn't there anybody else competent enough he could trust? "Give me the phone!"

He picked it up and flashed his buck-toothed grin, a charm worthy of winning anybody over in his previous rock-star days.

"Mr. Bateman, it's a pleasure talking to you! Listen, your car has passed the emissions, so all I need now is the paperwork, okay? And because of your incredible patience, I'll knock off 5 grand from each car. Yes my man, you've been most patient. We truly appreciate that. Thank you. Goodbye."

He hung up, punched a triumphant fist in the air and went over to cuddle Brittany.

"So, are you ready for Palm Springs, baby?"

Brittany sighed as she looked up at Alvin. "You sure you want to go with all of these problems still?"

"We're minutes away from closing another deal! Anything for my girl." The two broke into a kiss.

* * *

Once they were in the car on the way to Palm Springs, however, things went off on a different story.

"Alvin, we need to talk."

"About what?"

Brittany massaged her temple. "I know we're doing this because we're trying to fix our relationship. But you're always excluding me from you because you're always obsessed with your thoughts!"

"I'm always thinking, babe," smiled Alvin. "Nothing you should be worried about."

"Well then, if it's nothing, why won't you let me help you? Maybe you're thinking about something that we can talk!" Brittany shot back.

_What's with that_, thought Alvin. _She's getting on my nerves!_

"I don't know why I'm putting up with you, Alvin, and honestly-"

"You want to talk? Fine! Let's start talking now!"

Brittany was beginning to lose her temper. "But this isn't talking – this is-"

"Hang on, Brittany; I'll get to you later," Alvin cut her off as his phone rang.

"Hey Alvin, it's Lenny here. Look, I've been trying to get hold of you for hours. I've just got a call from a Mr. Mooney, your dad's lawyer. He's been trying to reach you. Your dad's just passed away, Alvin. I'm sorry. The funeral's tomorrow in Cincinnati. He says you'd know where."

There was complete silence for the next few seconds.

"I have Mr. Mooney's number. If you need anything-"

"That won't be necessary."

"Alvin, are you sure about it?"

"Look, I'm fine. Thanks for calling; I'll see you on Monday." And with that, Alvin hung up.

"I'm sorry about the weekend, Brittany." The chipmunk didn't show any signs of remorse whatsoever as he spoke.

"The weekend? But this is your dad's funeral!" exclaimed Brittany.

Alvin shrugged. "What difference does it make? He could have died tomorrow or yesterday, and I wouldn't have known." Seeing the appalled look on the chippette's face, he continued further. "We had a falling out years ago. My mum left me on Dave's doorstep when I was two. It was just the two of us. And well, we weren't even on Christmas card terms."

"So are you going?"

"To the funeral? Heck, yeah. I have to."

Brittany put an arm around Alvin's shoulder. "Then I'm coming with you."

"You don't have to do this, Brittany. I didn't mean to spoil your weekend plans," reasoned Alvin.

"I'm going with you, and that's final."

He kissed her in reply and chuckled. "Sorry, I forgot who I'm talking to."

* * *

The funeral was a simple ceremony. Only a few of Dave's colleagues and closest friends were there. Nobody had shed a tear. And Alvin had made absolutely sure to stand as far as possible from the mourners in order to avoid further contact.

After it was over, Mr. Mooney, a man clearly in his fifties, went over to Alvin to discuss about the rest of the details in Dave's will. They would settle everything in Alvin's old house, a place he had barely stepped foot into for over 10 years.

"Once we're done with that, we're getting the hell out of here," Alvin told Brittany later in the car.

* * *

Dave had left the place exactly as it had been since Alvin left. The prize rose bushes with its red treasures were still thriving as ever, the outer walls were still a pearly white, and the car was concealed behind its worn-out tarpaulin. Probably because it was an old piece of crappy junk, thought Brittany.

But she definitely had an eye for fancy rides when Alvin pulled away the tarpaulin, revealing the exquisite beauty underneath. "Woah! Is that what I think it is?"

"You got that right," Alvin whistled. "This is a 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible. Straight 8, Fireball 8. Only 8,000 production models made. And this one was Dave's."

After that, they made their way into the living room. While Alvin began sorting out bits of unwanted junk and keepsakes, Brittany discovered the trove of old family photo albums and she couldn't resist not looking through.

"I think you've been over-exaggerating, Alvin. Look at this." She held up a wrinkled, yellowing photo. In it was a younger Alvin being hugged by Dave after going to their first baseball game. "Dave is clearly not a guy who doesn't love his son at all. You're always making up stories, Alvin!"

"You want to hear a story? Fine, I'll give you one! In this house, Dave had only two 'babies' – the Buick and those rose bushes outside. But mostly it was the Buick. That car was off-limits to me. He'd say 'This is a classic; it's not for children.'

"I was in tenth grade, sixteen years old, and I came back from school once with a report card full of straight As. I asked Dave, 'Can I take the car out? You know, for a victory lap?' He looked at me and said 'Absolutely not.' That night, I took the keys, called a few friends over for a drive, and I snuck the Buick out."

"You took the car without your dad's permission? Why?"

Alvin struggled to find the words. "Because...because I deserved it, okay? Nothing I ever did was good enough for my old man! Don't you understand that?

"Anyway, the four of us were on the highway, and we got pulled over-"

"Pulled over?"

"Yeah, you know." He made a siren noise as though to illustrate. "The police."

"I know what pulled over means, Alvin," Brittany snapped.

"Can you let me finish? Apparently, Dave filed in a report. Said that his car was stolen. Not 'my son took the car out.' The Buick was stolen. Me and the guys got thrown in the lockup; the other kids' parents bailed them out. But Dave left me there for two days."

Brittany couldn't believe her ears. "You were in prison for two whole days?"

"Two days."

"Were you scared?"

Alvin picked up a toy car, his eyes reflected in the bitterness of his past. "Yeah, I was. After that, I left home for good, and I never saw him again."

"Alvin Seville, we've been together for a year now, and this is the first time you've told me this. I mean, how can you have kept it away from me? It's strange," said Brittany, folding her arms.

"When I was a kid and I got scared, the Sun Man would come and sing to me." At least there was something in Alvin's childhood which kept him happy.

"The Sun what?"

Alvin waved her off. "Oh, you know, one of those imaginary childhood friends."

"What happened to him?"

"Nothing. I just grew up," he replied dryly.

_Not so much_, thought Brittany with a faint smile.

* * *

_To Be Continued... Please leave your reviews! _


	2. Wallbrook

_This chapter was a toughie to write, but it will get a lot better once I put the brothers on the road. Once again, I don't own the copyrights to AatC or Rain Man. Otherwise, I wouldn't have thought of the idea to combine both._

**Chapter 2: Wallbrook**

Mr. Mooney came over the next day with Dave Seville's will and final wishes. As Alvin poured over its contents, he had to mentally slap himself a couple of times as he read the last few sentences.

_I recall clearly the day that you left me. So full of bitterness in your heart, and so full of that swaggering confidence which you had in yourself. Being raised without a mother, I understand why your allowed your heart to harden itself. Therefore, your refusal to pretend that you loved me or to even acknowledge me as your father, all those I forgive you. _

_But your failure to write to me, to return any calls or in any way re-enter my life has left me without a son. Nevertheless, I wish you well, and all the best, Alvin._

_I hereby bequeath to my son, Alvin David Seville, the Buick convertible. That car – which unfortunately – has brought our relationship to an end. Also, I bequeath to him my prize rose bushes. May they remind him of the value of excellence and the possibility of perfection._

_As for my home and all that is left of my accounts and possessions, I hereby place it in trust in accordance to my trust fund._

_Dave Seville._

"And what's that supposed to mean?" asked Alvin as he handed back the will to Mr. Mooney.

"It means that your father's estate, approximately 3 million dollars worth, will be surrendered to his choice of a trust fund. In this case, your father chose a beneficiary – or an heir."

"Who's that?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Seville, but unfortunately, I can't tell you that." Mr. Mooney straightened his glasses.

"Are you in control of the money?" There was a rise in Alvin's voice right now.

"I'm afraid I can't do anything further. This is out of my control. Look, I know that you're upset, but-"

"Upset! Why should I be upset? I got the rose bushes, right? And the car too! And the beneficiary – he got 3 million dollars on the house! But I definitely got the rose bushes, didn't I?" Clearly, the idea of owning a Buick convertible was the last thing on his mind.

"Alvin, I told you I-"

"If there's a hell on Earth, Dave Seville is in it right now! And he's looking down, laughing his ass off at me! Do you think you can be that guy's son for five minutes! I dare you! Were you reading this? Did you even listen to what he said!" Alvin took a breather.

"In fact, can you please read that whole will again? Because I still can't believe my damn ears."

Brittany found Alvin later that evening standing by the swimming pool, which in its present state was reduced to merely an empty crater. "Alvin, I was looking for you. So how did things go?"

"I got exactly what I deserved," came the reply.

* * *

The plus side of getting behind the wheel of the Buick once more was that the engine still hummed smoothly and purred like a kitten at the slightest ignition.

And if Dave had wanted to give Alvin those rose bushes as a reminder to be a perfectionist, so be it. There had to be another way to get at the money without so much as raising a court order.

Step one of Alvin's plan would be to locate the whereabouts of his late father's beneficiary. And since nobody could give him a clue, he would go to the source of that clue – Mr. Mooney's office. He strategically chose the time when Mr. Mooney would take his lunch break, leaving only his secretary behind. The chipmunk strode up to her, rested a hand against the front desk and flashed her a wink.

"Hi there. I'm so sorry to be bothering you, but I do have a problem with a private trust fund. You can check under Dave Seville. By the way, that's a nice suit you've got, babe..."

While it was in a secretary's job not to know too much of detail, Alvin still got the word out from her. The trustee was registered under a private name only known to a Dr. Theo Dorner, a personal psychiatrist at a mental institution called Wallbrook. With his mind set on the money and his girlfriend by his side, Alvin stepped on the gas.

* * *

Dr. Theo invited Alvin into his office while Alvin told Brittany to go and wait in the car. As they sat down, Alvin had to stifle a laugh while he locked eye contact with Theo. _A little too short and chubby to become a doctor of profession_, thought Alvin. He remembered to sound as serious as possible. "Look, I don't understand the point of secrecy! Why don't you just give me the money?"

"Mr. Seville, I may be the trustee of your father's fund, but the hospital receives nothing from that."

"Well, that seems hardly fair, doesn't it? Perhaps we can discuss about this, seeing that I am entitled to my father's fortune!"

Dr. Theo stood up, looking just as stern as Alvin. "I took on this burden out of my loyalty to Dave, Mr. Seville! I wish I could help you, but I am entitled to hold onto that fund whatever the costs."

"Then I'll see you in court!" Alvin growled as he stormed out.

* * *

Brittany was still in the car. Only now, someone else was in the driver's seat next to her. He was wearing a blue turtleneck with matching pants. Behind his glasses was a pair of cerulean eyes which looked so distant, as though they were lost at sea forever. And besides the fact that he was clearly a chipmunk ... he looked so much like Alvin.

"Who is this?" asked Alvin as he opened the car door. "You in there, get out! I don't have time for this!"

The stranger stepped out without the slightest objection, but Alvin could hear him muttering to himself. "Of course, Dad lets me drive this car, but not on Monday. Definitely not on Monday. I'm an excellent driver, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, that's very nice." Alvin turned to face Brittany. "This isn't a toy. Why did you let the kook get in?"

"He said that he knows this car," reasoned Brittany.

"I know this car. Dad lets me drive every Saturday," the stranger continued, even though he wasn't aware he had an audience. "Of course, the seats were originally brown leather; now they're a pitiful red."

Something about his words caught Alvin's attention. "Hey, when I took the Buick out at sixteen, these seats were brown before!" He got out and confronted the strange chipmunk. "Do you know this car?"

"Of course I know this car. This is a 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible. Straight 8, Fireball 8. Only 8,095 production models made. Dad lets me drive on the highway, but not on Monday. Definitely not on Monday. I'm an excellent driver." His voice sounded like a textbook; pouring with knowledge but full of monotony.

"Who's your dad?"

"David Seville."

"Who?"

"David Seville. 1516 Beechcrest Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.

"Hey, that's my address! What's with this guy? Who's your mother?"

"First name Vinny."

"Vinny?"

"Left us with David Seville in 1985."

"Us? Hey, hey, where the hell are you going?"

The blue clad chipmunk glanced hurried at his watch and started to walk back into the building.

"Uh oh, uh oh, ten more minutes to The People's Court!"

"Wait! Wait up! Who are you? What the hell's wrong with him? Theo, who is this crazy kook?" Alvin glared at Dr. Theo, who couldn't stop giggling throughout the whole episode.

"That kook is Simon. And he's your brother."

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_I'm not asking for much, but I'm hoping to get past 10 reviews. Maybe I should put up more chapters for your entertainment. _

_P.S: Theo is the only non-related chipmunk in this fanfic. And I'm sorry Chippette fans, but you'll only be seeing Brittany as she truly fits into the story. _


	3. I Want Out

_For those of you who haven't gone to visit my profile page, I want to take this time to thank all of you visitors and reviewers for making my day. It's really appreciative to know that there are people out there who admire such work. For that, I'm making this an even longer chapter. :) I don't own the copyrights to AatC or Rain Man. Happy reading! :)_

**Chapter 3: I Want Out**

"Why didn't anybody tell me that I had a brother?"

While Brittany had decided to accompany Simon in the patients' recreational room watching The People's Court, Alvin and Dr. Theo resumed where their heated conversation had left off outside.

"If he's not crazy or mentally retarded, then what's he doing here?" asked Alvin.

"Your brother has a special case of autism," explained Dr. Theo. "Most people would refer to his kind as idiot savant."

"So he's retarded?"

"Quite the opposite. The only flaw is that his disability impairs the sensory input and how the information is processed."

Alvin removed his cap and ran a hand through his hair. "Can you please speak English? You're talking all over my head."

Dr. Theo cleared his throat.

"In simple terms, Simon has problems with communicating. He's not able to express himself using his emotions in a traditional way. And he has these rituals to follow."

"Rituals?"

"Uh, they're more or less like a routine he has to follow for himself. The way he eats, the time he sleeps, and stuff like that. He gets easily distressed when he breaks a routine."

Alvin decided it was time to move to a different subject. "How long has Simon been here?"

"Since 1986. He was about 20 when I got my first job here."

"'86? I was only three?" _No wonder I didn't hear from him at all._

A thought just occurred to the red-clad chipmunk. "Is he the one that Dave left all his money to? The beneficiary?"

Dr. Theo sighed. "Yes."

Alvin felt his temper rise again. "Why didn't anybody tell me I had a brother? Why didn't you tell me that I had an _older _brother?"

"What difference would it have made, Mr. Seville?" Dr. Theo replied honestly.

"I don't know. Is Simon aware of the amount of money my father has left him?"

"Unfortunately, he doesn't understand the concept of money."

"He doesn't understand the concept of money? Oh that's just great!" Alvin muttered sarcastically. "My brother has just inherited 3 million dollars on a house, and he doesn't understand the concept of money! That's bloody poetic. Good for you, Dave!"

* * *

When Alvin and Dr. Theo re-entered the patients' room, he found Brittany with a pack of baseball trading cards. She read out each player's name and Simon immediately answered back with every player's positions, their teams, number of home runs as well as their first debut.

Alvin walked over to a bookshelf crammed with volumes of all sizes. Most of them were classics, but one row had Shakespeare's entire works. "He reads a lot of great books, huh?"

"Well, Simon is an avid reader. He even remembers every single detail he's read."

Alvin ran a finger over and pulled out a book at random. _The Twelfth Night._

"Uh oh! Uh oh! Oh no!" Simon's hands were trembling, he was walking all over the place; his eyes wide with fear. "Uh oh! T-H-E-O! T-H-E-O! This is an unannounced visit, Theo. Definitely not a weekend visit. Uh oh!"

"It's his way of getting anxious," explained Dr. Theo. "It's okay, Simon!"

"Alvin, put back the book!" Brittany exclaimed.

Alvin ignored her and turned to the front page. On it was a few lines of handwriting which he clearly recognised.

_Dear Simon, Happy Birthday!_

_With fondest wishes, Dad._

"Did you read all of this, Simon?" asked Alvin. "The Twelfth Night?"

"I don't know."

"Did you read Macbeth?"

"I don't know."

"Hamlet? Merchant of Venice? Romeo and Juliet?"

"I don't know, I don't know. Uh oh, T-H-E-O!"

"Stop it!" yelled Brittany.

"You read all these stories, but you don't know if you've read the book?" He sighed and put the book back in its original spot. "Okay, Simon? I won't touch anything else again, okay?"

"Yeah."

Dr. Theo patted Simon gently on the back. "You feeling better, Simon?"

"Yeah. T-H-E-O. My main man."

Brittany came over to Simon and gave him his cards. "Here. I'm sorry, I didn't know where to put them."

"Are you taking any prescriptive medication?" Simon smiled.

"What?"

"It means he likes you," chuckled Dr. Theo.

"But when I try to touch him, he pulls away," said Brittany.

"He's not too comfortable with physical contact. Believe me, he's never laid a single finger on me, but I'm the closest friend he has in the world," Theo beamed.

"Hey Simon, do you want to go for a walk outside?" asked Alvin all of a sudden.

Simon seemed unresponsive; he was too busy flicking through his baseball cards.

"Can he hear us when he's occupied?" asked Alvin.

"Simon, do you want to show your brother the ducks?"

"Quack quack. Twenty minutes to Jeopardy. Definitely twenty minutes."

"Don't worry," Alvin grinned. "We'll bring you back in time."

* * *

"I won't do it, Alvin!"

Alvin and Brittany were escorting Simon outside of Wallbrook; to the gardens and closer to the main entrance.

"Please Brittany, for my sake?"

"You want me to take the car and wait for you by the gate! Why, Alvin? I've been waiting for you all the time, and you never even let me near you!"

"Because of Simon, okay? He's going to kick up a fuss every time he sees or goes near the car. Please, pretty please?" He gave her the puppy dog face.

The chippete punched her boyfriend in the shoulder. "Fine! But you owe me big time!"

* * *

There were about six to seven ducks minding their own business in the institution's pond. Simon felt obliged to be the one feeding the ducks today as he sat with his brother, enjoying the afternoon scenery.

"Simon, our father just passed away," said Alvin, hoping to break the ice. "Do you know about that?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know if he's dead, or you don't know what dead is? Did Dr. Theo tell you?"

"I don't know."

"Well, it means our dad is not with us anymore, and he's in the cemetery. Do you want to go see him?"

"I don't know."

The ducks quacked loudly as they fought and pecked at the crumbs of bread that Simon threw in the pond.

"I live in LA," said Alvin. "You want to go catch a Lakers game? You want to see the Lakers play?"

"Today's an off day," Simon muttered, almost nonchalantly. "Monday, no games scheduled."

"Okay, we don't have to go for a baseball game. Uh, how about a museum?"

"Lakers pitch on Wednesday."

"Well, I'm free on Wednesday."

"Yeah, definitely Wednesday."

Alvin clapped his hands and stood up. "Okay! Wednesday it is! Let's go to LA! Come on, Si." He held Simon's hand and led his brother out of the main gate.

"Of course, it's a long way to La, California. And I'm not supposed to be outside the grounds for over two hours," mumbled Simon.

"Don't worry about a thing, Si. You'll love LA!"

* * *

The car journey was quiet all the way to LA, but no one was ever more silent as Simon while he sat in the back seat. He stuck his head out like a dog, taking in the sights and sounds that were completely new and unfamiliar to him.

Getting from Cincinnati to LA would take at least three to four days by car, so Alvin decided to pull over at a hotel for the night and the three of them would take a plane the next day. Being a has-been rock star still proved to be a benefit for Alvin as he got the presidential suite with accommodations for three chipmunks.

"Here's your room, Simon. Now remember, Dr. Theo wants us to spend some fun time together! And that's what we're going to do, right? We're brothers bonding together!"

It didn't help at all that Simon was still fretting about his long distance away from Wallbrook, nor was the fact that the blue clad chipmunk had rearranged his room according to his preferences. As Simon pushed a cupboard away from his bed, the bedpost lamp fell over and broke.

"Uh oh, uh oh, T-H-E-O! T-H-E-O!"

Alvin and Brittany, who had another room to themselves, heard the commotion. "Brit, can you go over and see what the hell's he doing?"

While Brittany went over to comfort Simon, Alvin pulled out the phone and began punching in numbers furiously.

"I've got 20,000 dollars going down the drain because of a flawed deal, and that idiot Lenny won't pick up!" He gritted his buck teeth.

"Alvin, maybe we should take Simon home!" Brittany called out. "I think Dr. Theo would know what to do with him!"

"Nah, he'll be fine." _Lenny, where the hell are you! Pick up!_

* * *

Later that night after dinner (Alvin had ordered pizza and tapioca pudding because Simon insisted he had to have both every Monday night), Alvin and Brittany made sure that Simon was occupied with the television (Brittany had even offered to sit with him for a while) before climbing into bed. The chipmunk pulled his girlfriend into a long, passionate embrace while he slowly undressed her, leaving her in her pink underwear.

"I'm sorry I've been such a jerk to you lately, Brittany. But you know that I love you, don't you?"

Her only reply was a kiss, and she too pulled off her boyfriend's shirt. Alvin shuddered as she began to gently stroke his chest. "I love you too, Alvin. You want to get it on?"

Soon they were busy expressing their love for each other, that they weren't aware of another guest who had just come into the room and started imitating all the weird noises he heard coming from under his brother's covers. Alvin's first impression was that he must've given Brittany one hell of a pleasure, until he realised he'd stopped only a few seconds ago.

"Simon, is that you?"

"A-L-V-I-N. Alvin Seville."

"Get out! GET THE HELL OUT! GO!" Alvin pushed Simon out and dragged him back to his room.

"What were you doing in my room, Simon?" thundered Alvin.

"I don't know."

"You don't know what you were doing?"

"I heard weird noises. Definitely weird noises." Simon picked up a phone book and poured through its contents eagerly, not looking up at Alvin.

"Well those noises are none of your business! You understand that? So stop acting like a retard and go to sleep!"

"Of course, lights out at 11. It's definitely 40 minutes to 11."

"Yeah, well, new rules!" Alvin shouted, plunging the room into darkness.

* * *

Brittany was taking a bubble bath when Alvin came in and caressed her wet, dripping auburn hair.

"Alvin, you know darn well that's no way to treat your brother," she sighed.

"Why? What did I do wrong?"

"Just go back in there and apologize to Simon, okay?"

"And then what do you want me to do? Tuck him in bed? Read a bedtime story and kiss him goodnight? I'm not his mommy!" shot Alvin.

"Alvin, you insulted your own flesh and blood! For the first time in your life, you find out you have a brother, but I don't see in a change in your face at all! "

"Well, you don't know what the hell I've been through today!"

"Because you never tell me anything! All you tell are nothing but lies!" the chippete shot back.

"Lies? What kind of lies, huh?"

"This whole idea of Dr. Theo asking you to take Simon here, I know that's bullshit! Why don't you start by telling me the truth, Alvin? What's going on?"

"Fine! Simon's the private beneficiary – the one Dave passed down all the money to!" confessed Alvin.

"How much?"

"Three million dollars on the estate. Every penny of it! And I'm supposed to be entitled of at least half of those savings! SO I WANT MY HALF!"

"I don't know why I'm putting up with you any longer, Alvin! This is ridiculous!" Brittany got up all of a sudden, soaking Alvin with soap suds. She threw a bathrobe over her and rushed back into the bed room, her boyfriend hot on her heels.

"What do you think you're doing?"

The chippete began piling her clothes into a suitcase. "What does look like I'm doing? I'm leaving!" she snapped.

"Come on Brit, you can't leave me! I need you!"

"You need nobody but yourself!"

"Look, have I done something wrong here? What's my crime?"

"Your crime is that you always use people! You use me, you use Simon, you're using everybody!"

"I'm using Simon? Simon!" He called out to the far end of the room. "Simon, am I using you?"

"Yeah."

"SHUT UP! He's answering a question from a half hour ago!"

Alvin grabbed hold of Brittany and looked her straight in the eyes. "Brittany, please. I need the money. You know how badly I need it. That 3 million is sitting in Simon's lap and he doesn't know what to do with it!"

"So you're resorting to stealing? By stealing your brother out of Wallbrook?" Her heart felt as though it was going to crack under the intensity of their bickering. "Alvin Seville, you're crazy!"

"If I'm crazy, then it runs through my family!"

Brittany was now at the front door. She yanked Alvin's grasp away from her. "And what are you going to do with Simon once you get your money, huh? You're just gonna throw him back to Wallbrook?"

"I can put him in better treatment with the money than being with that Munchkin! Or you're right, I can just put him back there! What difference does it make? He's still going to be the same!"

"I don't want to hear this anymore, Alvin! I've had enough!"

"Then what do you want?" yelled Alvin.

"I WANT OUT!" The last thing Alvin saw of Brittany was a livid face that slammed the door.

The chipmunk stared blankly at the doorframe, as though Brittany would rush back into his arms again. When that didn't work, he went back to bed.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_P.S: If you're wondering why I'm putting up stories like breeding bunny rabbits, let's just say I'm blessed for the moment with a good supply of creative juice. I might slow down a little while due to time management, but I'll be back shortly. Peace out! _


	4. Losing My Mind

_This was my most favourite chapter to write! Once again, I don't own the copyrights to AatC or Rain Man. ;)_

**Chapter 4: Losing My Mind**

If Alvin had to make a list of all his bad days, then today would have to be the worst. And with Brittany gone, along with their relationship, it was only the beginning of his troubles.

The brothers were seated at a diner that morning, waiting for their breakfast to arrive. As the waitress came over to pour the coffee, Simon took one look at her nametag and started reciting over and over, as though he was memorising something.

"Sally Dibbs. Dibbs, Sally. 461-0912."

The waitress looked up in surprise. "How did you know my phone number?"

Alvin remembered the phone book Simon had read the night before. "Uh, my brother remembers things. Little things, you know. He's got a photographic memory."

Sally Dibbs gave them both a warm smile. "I'll be back with your pancakes shortly."

Once the waitress was out of earshot, Alvin looked at Simon, whose eye contact was now all over the place, possibly studying every minute detail. "How did you do that?"

"Of course I read the telephone book. Sally Dibbs. 461-0912."

"Did you memorise the entire book? How far did you go?"

"Up to G. A-B-C-D-E-F-G. Gottsaken, William Marshall. 458-7391."

For the first time since he met his brother, Alvin was genuinely impressed by Simon's capabilities.

"Uh oh, no toothpicks. I definitely got to have my toothpicks," said Simon randomly.

"You don't need toothpicks. We can use toothpicks at the hotel like yesterday, but here, we eat our pancakes with a fork. It's so much easier to eat with a fork." Dealing with Simon was just as difficult as one would with a hyperactive two year old, although Alvin felt like he'd rather face the latter.

"There's got to be maple syrup. I definitely eat my pancakes with maple syrup. It'll be too late once the pancakes arrive because there's no maple syrup on the table."

"Simon, the maple syrup comes with the pancakes. When we order the pancakes, the waitress is gonna bring us the maple syrup."

"Uh oh, but that'll be too late."

"How's that too late? Pancakes come with maple syrup! Honestly Si, you've got to stop this!"

"Uh oh, no toothpicks and no maple syrup. I definitely can't have my pancakes without – OW!" Alvin had grabbed Simon in a head lock and pushed him down onto the table.

"Stop making a scene! I don't know why you have to keep acting like a fruitcake!" hissed Alvin. He let go of his brother and pretended that nothing had happened. While waiting for their pancakes, Simon took out a small exercise book and scribbled furiously in it with a pen.

"What are you writing, Si?"

Alvin leaned over to see what Simon was writing, but he turned his back and continued scribbling. The red clad chipmunk got impatient and snatched the book away. There were plenty of notes, all written in red ink with Simon's loopy cursive writing.

_Serious Injury List: Alvin Seville. Number 18, 2010. Squeezed and pulled and hurt my neck in 2010. Threatened to cut off my blood circulation._

"Serious Injury List? You've got to be kidding me!" He thumped Simon's head with the book, not caring if it was Number 19 going into the Serious Injury List. _If he keeps this act up, I'm gonna make sure that he'll have to get a new book!_

Alvin had lost his appetite. He asked the waitress to keep an eye out for Simon while he went over to the phone booth and dialled the first number he could think of.

"Dr. Theo, it's Alvin Seville speaking."

His first reply came out sharp. "Alvin, where are you?"

"That's not important. What matters is who's with me, Doctor."

For a professional doctor, Theo sounded like he was close to tears. "You have to bring Simon back, Mr. Seville. Please!"

"Ok, that'll be 1.5 million dollars then. Look, I'm not being greedy. I just want my half of the money! What do you mean, I can't do this? Simon is my brother, and I have every right as a family member to escort him out of Wallbrook!"

"Your brother has been a voluntary patient, Mr. Seville, but this is where he'll get the best care and treatment. We're talking about his well being here."

Alvin couldn't believe it. Everybody was driving him insane! First it was Brittany, then Simon, and now Dr. Theo. He practically spat into the phone's receiver.

"I'm going to skip this bullshit and get straight to the point! I am entitled to my father's estate. If you can't do that, then I'll fly him to LA, put him in another institution, and then we can have a custody battle over him! Do you really want that to happen? Well I suggest you think it over, and do it fast!"

He slammed down the phone and went back to Simon, who had just received a box of toothpicks from the waitress. Simon's fingers were trembling so much that he dropped the box and the toothpicks scattered like fallen dominoes. He bent over to pick them up but Alvin restrained him.

"Simon, you don't want to pick those up, they're dirty. I'm really sorry about the toothpicks, miss."

"82, 82, 82, definitely more than 82 toothpicks."

"What are you talking about, Simon?"

Simon's face broke into a grin. "246 toothpicks on the floor. Yeah, 246 total."

Alvin looked at the toothpicks to the waitress. "How many toothpicks are in there, miss?"

"Each box has 250."

"Well, that was pretty close, Simon. Come on, let's go."

The waitress took a quick glance into the empty box. "He's right! There's only 4 left in the box."

The chipmunk could only stare in disbelief.

* * *

Simon found himself fiddling about with the car's radio until he found a favourite station.

"_You're listening to 97X! The future of rock and roll!"_

"97X! Bam! The future of rock and roll! 97X! Bam! The future of rock and roll! 97X! Bam! The future of rock and roll!"

"Simon, will you please cut that out! It's not funny!" groaned Alvin.

"97X! Bam! The future of rock and roll! 97X! Bam! The future of rock and roll!"

* * *

Once the chipmunks had arrived at the airport, Alvin's annoyance turned into momentary relief once he'd received a phone call from his partner Lenny. But things weren't exactly on the bright side after Lenny delivered his message from the far end of the line.

"Lenny, shut up for a moment! I'm in deep shit right now – I can't get to the cars, and I don't have the money to pay up for our debts! Plus, my loan is overdue. So I'm going back to LA to contact my loan officer. Call your men to come right here and pick up the Buick, okay? I'll see you in a few hours."

Alvin hung up and went to get Simon's attention, who was staring mindlessly at a nearby TV. "Come on, Si, let's go! What were you watching?"

"I don't know."

The loud sounds of the airplane's engines caused Simon to look out the window. His calm demeanour went into pieces once more as he saw what lay out there.

"Uh oh, there's an airplane out there!"

"That's right, Simon. It's the fastest way to LA."

"Airplane travel's very dangerous. Definitely not safe."

"Don't be silly. This is the most safest and fastest travel in the world. Trust me, you'll love it."

Simon hesitated. His pupils were now fixed onto the colossal vehicle.

"Simon, we're in an airport! People fly out of airports! What else do you think we're doing here?" said Alvin, doing his best to keep his voice even.

"Flying's very dangerous.

"I don't have time for this crap, Si. I've got to get to LA in three hours, and we're going!"

"American flight 625, crashed April 27, 1976."

"You don't want to take an American flight, is that it? Ok, uh, we can take, how about Continental?"

"Of course, Continental crashed November 15, 1987. Flight 1713. 28 casualties."

"What about Delta, huh? Delta leaves at midnight. You like midnight travel?" asked Alvin.

"Midnight travel's very dangerous. 80% increase of accidents and casualties."

"All airlines have crashed before, Simon! But that doesn't mean that they're not safe, ok?"

"Quantas never crashed."

Alvin looked as though he was going to flip out, which he certainly did. "Quantas? Quantas! That's bloody wonderful, Simon! You see, Quantas doesn't fly to LA! It takes you to Melbourne! As in MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA!"

"Australia; Canberra's the capital. Population of over 345,000."

"That's enough of this, Simon! You and I are getting on this plane, and we're leaving right now!"

As Alvin dragged his brother towards the departures gate, Simon did something completely unexpected. He screamed at the top of his lungs and starting hitting himself in the head repeatedly. People turned to stare at him while Alvin grabbed a hold of his flailing arms and tried to calm him down.

"Okay, okay, Si! We're not gonna take the plane, okay?" He turned to reassure the startled witnesses. "It's okay. He just got a little upset. It's all good now!

"Relax, Simon, we're not flying, okay? No planes. Just driving to LA."

"Yeah."

While Alvin was boiling mad, he decided not to show it for fear of a possible loss of reputation. "You're starting to tire me, Simon. You're really bugging me out."

"No flying."

"I'm supposed to be in LA in three hours, and now this will take me three days!"

"Of course I'm supposed to watch Jeopardy. Jeopardy's definitely at five o' clock."

"Don't get started on that!"

* * *

Alvin had calmed down a little as they got back on the road. "I must say, I do miss driving the old Buick. It's beautiful." He looked at Simon who appeared to be spaced out in the passenger's seat. "Simon, didn't you say you can drive?"

"Of course I'm an excellent driver."

"When did you drive?"

"I drove the Buick on the highway when Dave came to Wallbrook."

"Dave let you drive the Buick?"

"Yeah. Slow on the driveway."

Alvin seemed thoughtful for a while. "Wow. Maybe I'll let you drive some other time."

As if in reply, Simon grabbed hold of the steering wheel and veered dangerously to the left, almost getting hit by an ongoing car. Alvin nudged his brother out of the way and steered back to the proper lane just in time.

"Simon, you never, NEVER TOUCH THE WHEEL WHEN I'M DRIVING! You hear me?"

"Yeah. Of course I'm not wearing my underwear."

"What?"

"I'm definitely not wearing my underwear."

"What are you talking about? I gave you a fresh pair of mine at the hotel this morning."

"That's not my underwear. That's too tight. I wear boxer shorts."

"Well, my underwear is your underwear too. I told you to go into the bathroom and put it on. So where is it?"

"Of course it's in my pocket." Simon delved into his trousers and fished out a pair of bright red underwear with the letter A on it. "Of course it's too tight. Mine are boxer shorts."

"What's the difference? Underwear is underwear," said Alvin.

"Of course, I always get my boxer shorts from K-Mart. They're blue with my name 'Simon' on it."

"We don't have to go back to Cincinnati to buy underwear. Tell you what, I'll stop by the nearest store and I'll pick you up a new pair of boxer shorts, ok?"

"These are too tight-"

"Si, did you hear what I just said? SHUT UP!" Alvin felt his temper beginning to possess him again.

For once, Simon didn't respond, and then he started talking again on his own accord.

"Cincinnati's a long way. We're definitely getting further. I buy my boxers from K-Mart."

"Simon, we are not going back to Cincinnati, and that's final! Do you even hear me?"

"Of course, I get my boxer shorts from K-Mart."

The boiling point of Alvin's temper had finally reached its peak as he put a halt to the car and pulled it over. He stormed out, walked a few steps on the now empty road and threw a fit.

"Damn! Damn! I'M GOING OUT OF MY MIND!" The chipmunk rounded on Simon, his face now as red as his shirt.

"What difference does it make, huh? WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE! UNDERWEAR IS UNDERWEAR! IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU BUY YOUR UNDERWEAR, IN CINCINNATI OR WHERE EVER!"

"K-Mart."

"You know what I think, Simon?" Alvin pointed a finger at his brother. "I think this autism of yours is a BUNCH OF SHIT! You can't tell me that you're not in there somewhere, hiding from me!" He took a deep breath, pulled himself together and then got back behind the wheel.

"Ok, you and I are going to make a little stop. I'm gonna have to find you a shrink, Si. Because you are driving me crazy!"

"Oak and Burnett, Cincinnati. We have to buy boxer shorts at K-Mart."

As they drove off, Alvin snatched his underwear from Simon and let it sail out into the open air.

"Uh oh, you left your underwear on the highway."

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Will Alvin get to LA in time? What's to become of Simon's fate, and the money? Find out soon! ;) _


	5. Funny Sun Man

_First of all, let me say that it's good to be back! With assignments and essays and presentations all due within one month, you'll wish you had a 25__th__ hour to accommodate for spare writing. Don't fret if you love this story; I have every intention to see this through the end. So, without further ado, I give you Chapter 5! I don't own AatC or Rain Man, blah blah blah._

**Chapter 5: Funny Sun Man**

Thankfully for Alvin, the nearest town was just half an hour's drive away. The minute he pulled over at a nearby phone booth, Alvin made sure that Simon was buckled up tightly before getting out. _There's got to be a shrink here somewhere that can fix Simon straight_, thought Alvin as he flicked through the yellowing phone book. He glanced up to check on the Buick. While the car was still in tip-top shape from the outside, there was something obviously missing from view.

"Simon?" Alvin rushed over to the car. The seats were definitely empty.

Meanwhile, Simon found himself walking aimlessly on the zebra crossing. Perhaps he was trying to find a way to get to K-Mart. The blue-clad chipmunk was just a few steps away reaching from the opposite side when the traffic lights changed to _DON'T WALK_. And he stood there on the busy street, frozen in his tracks as he glanced up at the stoplight.

The cars which were piling up behind Simon now blared their horns louder than any gun ever fired. Simon covered his ears, but he was still rooted to the spot, looking frantic as ever like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Hey, dipshit, move out of the way!" yelled a beefy man in a cowboy hat as he got out of his truck and advanced towards the startled chipmunk. "If you're not moving, then I'm moving you!" He shoved Simon out of the way, but Simon refused to move an inch, switching looks between the stoplight and the angry man with the hat.

"It says 'Don't Walk'. The sign definitely says 'Don't Walk'."

Get out of the way, or I'm gonna run you over!"

Alvin had just seen the commotion and ran across the street to Simon. "I'm sorry about that, Mister. Simon, are you alright?"

"Yeah. Got to go to K-Mart. That's 400 Oak Street. Uh oh, the sign says 'Don't Walk'!"

For Alvin had pulled his brother over to the other side of the road. "The sign's broken, Si. Come on. We gotta go this way."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Alvin and Simon were seated at the nearest clinic, waiting for their turn when the nurse came back with a form Alvin had filled up earlier with Simon's details.

"He's artistic?"

"Autistic," corrected Alvin.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with that term. What exactly is the nature of his problem?"

"He lives in a world of his own."

"Could you explain to me what exactly is wrong with him?"

Alvin felt like tearing his fur out. Fortunately, Simon came to his rescue.

"Uh oh, I got twenty minutes to The People's Court! Definitely twenty minutes. Uh oh."

* * *

The psychiatrist, if Alvin could consider him as one, wasn't even of any help at all.

"Well, I'm not much of a major in this, but I can safely say that his brain doesn't work exactly like most people do. Your brother's behaviour isn't intended to be annoying, but hey, if he really does get on your nerves, just take a break."

"Or there's the option that I could just send him back," muttered Alvin.

"Excuse me?"

"Nah, that's just an inside joke. You're telling me that I have to deal with this?"

His only response was a nod from the shrink.

"Forgive my curiosity, Mr. Seville, but does Simon have any special abilities?"

"Yeah, he's got a really good memory. He counts toothpicks, too. I mean, these toothpicks just spilled out of the box, and he took one look and counted them all. He did it in a few seconds."

The doctor looked thoughtful for a moment. "If he's good with numbers, then I'd like to try something here. Simon! Simon, can you hear me?"

"Yeah."

He picked up a calculator and started punching in numbers at random.

"Do you know how much 312 times...123 is?"

"38, 376."

Alvin bent over the shrink's shoulder. There was no mistake in those numbers on that little machine.

"How much is 4,343 times... 1,234?"

"5,359, 262."

"He's a genius!" Alvin gasped in awe. He took the calculator and tried a little experiment of his own.

"Simon, what's the square root of 2,130?"

"46.15192304."

"That's amazing!" exclaimed Alvin. "He should be a professor! Or he should get a job in NASA or something."

"Simon, are you autistic?" asked the doctor.

There was no reply this time.

"Simon, do you understand the meaning of the word 'autistic'?"

"Yeah."

"Are you autistic?"

The blue-clad chipmunk blinked twice, and then smiled. "I don't think so. Definitely not."

Alvin rolled his eyes. _Simon's not mad. But mad people won't be able to admit that they're mad themselves. So much for NASA.  
_

* * *

Alvin returned to the phone booth. Only this time, he brought Simon along so he wouldn't go wandering off again.

"What? You've got a problem with the Lamborghinis?" Alvin yelled down the receiver. "10,000 dollars cost per each car? This is nonsense!"

Simon began turning around on the spot. "It's definitely getting crowded in here. Uh oh, ten minutes to People's Court!"

"Take it easy Si, we'll only be in here for a while," reasoned Alvin. To the phone, he added, "Give me the number. I'll call those idiots from the conversion shop myself!"

Alvin reached for a pen and the notebook in Simon's pocket. "Good news, Si. When we get back to LA, we're going to hold a party in your honour. A custody party. That's right. 'Cause you're the three million dollar chipmunk!"

"Uh oh, fart."

"Hello? Alvin Seville here. I'm calling regarding the cars..."

"Uh oh, fart."

There was now an obvious stench in the enclosed atmosphere.

"Did you fart, Simon? DID YOU FART?"

"Yeah."

"Aw nuts, get the smell out!" Alvin made a dash for the door, but no matter how hard he pushed, it seemed to be jammed shut. He groaned as he covered his nose with his free hand. "Honestly Si, how can you stand that?"

"I don't mind."

As Alvin continued to make negotiations, Simon's whining grew louder by the second. "Uh oh, oh no, five more minutes to People's Court! Uh oh!"

Alvin groaned. "I gotta go; he's starting to rock and moan."

* * *

They drove on for a few minutes until they came across a house with a barn on the far end of the field. No other signs of civilisation reigned here, that was for sure.

"Do you wanna go in and see the show?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, then listen up. There's not a single farmhouse in sight. We've only got one shot on this. You act weird, we don't get in, you miss your show. Get it?"

"Yeah."

"I want you to look as normal as possible, alright?"

"Yeah."

"And stop swinging your arms! Keep them to your sides! People are gonna think you're a really hairy monkey if you keep doing that!"

The chipmunks got out and headed for the porch. Alvin straightened his collar as he kept an eye on his brother. "What did I tell you, Si? Don't rock and moan!"

He knocked on the door, and seconds later, a woman with straight brown hair in a red blouse appeared, carrying a baby in one arm. Alvin put on his best businessman impression.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. I'm Donald Clemons from the A.C. Neilsen TV Ratings Company. It's my pleasure to inform you that your family has been nominated as a candidate to become our next Neilsen family in the tri-county area. If selected, you'll help shape the nation on television programming viewed by the nation. In return, you'll receive a check of 500 dollars each month."

The housewife looked over Alvin's shoulder to Simon, who was fidgeting on the spot. "Who's he?'

"That's my partner, Mr. Bainbridge, who does sample-"

She slammed the door.

"Uh oh! Oh boy!"

"That's it! You'll miss your program!" yelled Alvin. "It's over!"

"One minute to People's Court!"

"I almost had you in there, Si, but you blew it! They're making legal history in there right now!"

"Uh oh!"

The housewife threw the door open again, an irate look on her face. "What the hell's going on out here?"

"I'm sorry I lied to you, ma'am. That's my brother. And if he doesn't get to watch People's Court in the next thirty seconds, he's going to have a fit. Now you can either help me, or you can just stand there and watch it happen." Alvin looked her straight in the eye.

She sighed, knowing when to give in.

"The kids like to watch cartoons. You think he can settle for that?"

All in all, Alvin thought that it was only a waste of an hour's time, so he excused himself into the kitchen and called up his lawyers to defend both his business and his brother's custody.

* * *

Later that evening, Alvin found themselves another motel just along the borders of the county area. The good news was, it would take at least one more day before they would reach LA.

Simon was brushing his teeth with his specially requested tartar-control toothpaste when Alvin came in, a curious look on his face.

"Simon, remember those questions the doctor asked you? How did you do that?"

"Iseeit."

"What did you say?"

"Iseeit."

"Can you stop for a second and tell me clearly?"

"Iseeit." (I see it.)

Alvin walked over to Simon and yanked the toothbrush out. "Why do you have to keep acting like an idiot even though I tell you to stop? You think that's funny, Si?"

Simon rinsed and wiped his face. "Yeah, funny Sun Man. Funny teeth."

Something caught Alvin's attention. "What did you just say?"

"You said funny Sun Man, funny teeth."

"I said Sun Man?"

"Yeah."

"Was I trying to say Simon and it came out as Sun Man?"

"Yeah."

And then it hit him.

"You...you're the Sun Man?"

Simon didn't say anything as he left the bathroom, so Alvin took that as a yes. Now he was beyond bewilderment.

The blue-clad chipmunk came back with something in his hand, which he passed to Alvin. It looked like a picture of the brothers when they were younger, with a baby Alvin giggling happily in his older brother's arms.

"Who took this picture, Simon?"

"D-A-V-E."

"Did you live with us?"

"Yeah. 1516 Beechcrest Street, Cincinnati, Ohio."

"When did you leave?"

"January 26, 1986."

"1986? That's after mom left us?"

"Yeah."

"Do you remember that day, Simon? Was I there?"

"Yeah. You were at the window. You waved 'Bye-bye Sun Man. Bye-bye."

Alvin paused to catch his bearings. "So, you sang to me, Simon?"

"Yeah."

"What did you sing, Si? What was that song?"

Simon cleared his throat, and burst into a flawless tune.

"_Well, she was just seventee_n._ You know what I mean_."

Alvin's ears perked up. He hadn't heard anyone sing his favourite song to him since his childhood days. Plus, it was a bonus only he knew how to use to get the girls screaming for him at every gig he performed.

"_And the way she looked was way beyond compare_," Simon continued.

Alvin joined in with his brother, clearly reminiscing about his good old rock star days.

"_So how could I dance with another? Woah! And I saw her standing there!_"

"Did I like it when you sang to me, Si?"

"Yeah."

Alvin turned on the tap, letting the hot water hiss and steam as it filled into the tub.

"Did you sing other songs? Do you like the Beatles?"

Everything happened so quickly that Alvin couldn't fathom the proceeding course of events. One minute he was standing in front of the tub, the next he felt himself being shoved out of the way as Simon now stood in his place, pointing at the flow of water and screaming in absolute terror.

"AAHHHH! HOT WATER! SCARY BAD! HOT WATER SCARY BAD!"

Alvin had never seen Simon so freaked out before. He was trashing about like a tidal wave, hitting himself harder than at the airport. The red-clad chipmunk dashed over to the taps and turned it off; then he grabbed Simon's flailing fists. "Simon! Simon, stop it! I'm okay!"

"SCARY BAD!"

"What's scary bad?"

"Hot water! Hot water burn baby!"

"Hot water burn baby? Burned who? Me?"

"Yeah!"

"But Simon, I'm not burned!" Alvin put his hands up for Simon to see. "Look Si, I'm not burned!"

"Tub burn baby!"

"I'm okay, Simon. I'm not burned. I'm okay," reassured Alvin.

Simon appeared to have calmed down a lot now, so he patted his brother on the head and left the bathroom as though nothing had ever happened. The photo of the two chipmunks now lay in the tub, soaked beyond repair.

"That's why they put you away. They thought you would hurt me," said Alvin to himself. To Simon, he added, "It's 11 o'clock, Si. Lights out, okay?"

He helped Simon into his pyjamas. As he tucked his brother into bed, Alvin could have sworn he heard Simon muttering over and over in his sleep.

"Never hurt Alvin Seville. Alvin's my main man. Yeah, my main man."

Gently, he kissed Simon's forehead. _He actually looks so smart and calm when he sleeps_, thought Alvin as he smiled. Now, there was one more thing to be done before he called it a night.

Alvin dialled the first number he could think of and prayed that she would pick up.

"Hey Brittany, it's me."

"Alvin, where have you been? You haven't called for days!" He was relieved that she still sounded worried for him.

"You didn't hang up," he smiled. "Does this mean we're still engaged?"

"Alvin...listen, I-"

"I just want to know that it's not over between us. I..." He paused before going all out on his confession. "I'm really scared of losing you, Brit."

"Please don't ask me about it tonight, Alvin. I'm really tired. And I don't know what to say."

"Okay. I'll call you once I get back to LA, okay?"

"Sure thing."

"I love you, Brit."

"I love you too, Alvin."

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_P.S: I made a few additions in Chapter 3, particularly about Simon being the older brother in this fanfic. It's not much, but it sounds better than having Alvin realize he's got an older brother when Dr. Theo explains Simon's condition._

_P.P.S: As this is my 7__th__ entry (including my other two short fics), I would very much like to receive 7 more reviews before I update. It'll really mean a lot to me, especially in times of stress and monotony. _

See you soon, and don't forget to press that little button down there!


	6. Counting Cards

_I'm back! And on such short notice, too. Only two more chapters to go!_

**Chapter 6: Counting Cards**

When it came time for Alvin to check out the following day, he frowned as the receptionist swiped his credit card multiple times to no results. It turned out that not only were his credit cards unaccepted, but they were all out of credit. Fortunately, Alvin had enough cash to pay for the accommodations as well as a portable TV which he bought for Simon to keep him entertained while he went outside to make a phone call to Lenny.

"Alvin, where the hell are you? I've been sitting by the phone for three hours!"

"Take it easy, Lenny. I'll be in LA shortly-"

"The guys from EPA just came and they confiscated all the cars to pay for the loan! The Lambs are gone, Alvin! All gone! And Mr. Bateman wants his down payment back. So do all our other clients!"

Alvin felt a weight drop from his heart like a large stone. "How much?"

"That's 80 grand in total! You've got to pay those clients back, or we're out of business!"

"I don't have that kind of money," said Alvin.

Lenny clearly sounded frustrated. "What are you going to do, Alvin?"

"I... I don't know."

"What are you going to tell them?"

Alvin hung up, numb with dismay. His mind was now all over the place. He couldn't find any nearby banks for a fast withdrawal. The money which could have saved his business and career was nowhere to be found except from his brother. And Simon was in a world of his own, for down starters. What would have Alvin done?

Well, there was something he could tell Lenny right now.

He stormed into the empty plains and kicked at a couple of loose pebbles. Blinking back tears, he chucked his cap into the sand and screamed to the heavens.

"Son of a bitch! SON-OF-A-BITCH!"

* * *

They travelled in complete silence – Alvin's face had livid written all over it. Even Simon knew that something was amiss, since he didn't dare to voice his thoughts in case Alvin would blow his top again.

After what seemed like an eternity on the road, they stopped at a diner to catch a rest. For Alvin, it was a time to drown his sorrows, if only he could afford enough booze to get him drunk.

Simon went over to the jukebox, studying every song in that machine. When he was satisfied, he went back to their table, which also had a song list. He flipped through the pages; his eyes darting from left to right like a hawk watching its prey.

"Simon, will you stop that? It's annoying!" groaned Alvin.

"J-7," said Simon.

"What's that?"

"J-7."

"What's J-7? The song?"

"Yeah. Definitely J-7."

Alvin listened briefly to the song now playing on the jukebox, and then at the song list. An idea suddenly crossed his mind.

He told Simon to look at the window while he flipped through the song list at random.

"_Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses_. What's the number?" asked Alvin.

"E-5."

"_Cheating Heart_ by Hank Williams?"

"Of course, that's _Your Cheating Heart_. Yeah, that's D-1."

"_Blue Moon of Kentucky_?"

"K-5."

"How many toothpicks came out of that box, Simon?"

'246 out of 250. Yeah. That's a 99 out of 100 percent. Definitely 246."

Alvin smiled. If Simon could remember trivial things such as song numbers and toothpicks, then could it be possible that he could do more with say, _cards_?

The red-clad chipmunk led his brother out of the diner. He took out a deck of cards and starting shuffling them. He then pulled out different cards at random; all of them landing face up for Simon to see. The chipmunk's blue eyes were transfixed on the cards that seemed to be raining down from his brother's hand onto the Buick's bonnet. When Alvin was left with only ten cards, he shielded them from Simon's view.

"Okay Si, what cards do I have left?"

The answer came in a flash. "Two jacks, two aces, one king, five, six, eight, nine and ten."

Alvin broke into a smile and threw the cards in the air. "You are wonderful, brother!"

* * *

As the chipmunks got back on the road again, Alvin had to give Simon a crash course on how to gamble like a professional.

"When there's lots of tens and picture cards, then it's a good sign. Come on, say it. Tens are good."

"Tens are good," said Simon.

"And how are we going to do this?"

"Bet one for bad, two for good."

"Great. Now listen here, cause it's very important. Casinos have their own set of house rules, but their number one rule is that they don't like to lose. So never, ever let them catch you counting cards. That is the cardinal sin. You hear me?"

"Counting...counting cards is bad."

"That's right, Si."

"Of course I'd like to drive slow on the driveway."

"Simon, you get this right and I'll let you drive anywhere and anytime you want."

* * *

Las Vegas is well-known for its casinos and sucking up tons of bucks, but there was plenty to do before hitting the big blinds. The first thing Alvin did was to pawn off his Rolex, another possession of his father's that he didn't want to be reminded of.

Since they were both chipmunks of roughly human size, it was only appropriate that they be fitted into tailor-made custom suits, which in this case, Alvin chose Armani, his favourite brand. And a grooming session might be necessary if he and Simon were going to look presentable.

Later, at the Royal House Casino, anyone who gave a first glance at the two chipmunks striding in might have thought that they were twins; from the way they were dressed to their looks, except that the oldest wore glasses behind his clear blue eyes.

"Sun Man?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's play some cards!"

"Yeah."

Their first stop was the blackjack table. On the first game, Alvin didn't feel lucky already as he'd gone bust twice. When it came to Simon, he was dealt a queen and an ace.

You could count that as eleven or twenty. By now, it was a fifty-fifty shot if you wanted to stay or carry on.

"Hit me," said Simon.

"Simon, are you nuts? Twenty is good enough."

"There's lots of queens," murmured Simon.

"Lots of queens?"

"Definitely lots of queens."

True to his word, Simon drew another queen, making it twenty-one. The dealer, who had a five, drew two cards – both queens and got bust.

"I love this town!" cheered Alvin.

And so the game went on. There was a crowd now gathering to watch the chipmunks' ongoing winning streak. In one hour, Simon's chips snowballed from $3,000 to $300,000. That was more than enough to settle for Alvin's debts, the cars and to buy back his watch.

"What's your secret?" asked a man standing next to Alvin.

"We're cheating," replied Alvin, which set off a bout of laughter from everyone.

Something tore Simon away from the blackjack table. He stared intently at the little ball that bounced and jumped in the roulette wheel.

Alvin came over to him. "Simon, where are you going? You're missing all the fun! You're the lucky man, you know that? The Seville brothers, kicking ass in Vegas, baby!"

"It's gonna land on twenty," said Simon.

"Twenty? You mean the wheel?" asked Alvin.

"Yeah. Definitely twenty."

"Three grand on twenty," said Alvin as he handed the dealer three chips.

The ball did stop on twenty, but as the wheel continued to spin, it jumped ship and landed on seven, before coming to a standstill.

Alvin's jaw dropped.

"Uh oh," was all Simon could say.

"This is not your game, Si," said Alvin. "Aw man, I lost 3 grand. Maybe we should try something else – Hey, hey!" He restrained Simon, who looked like he was about to hit himself. "It's ok, Simon. It's ok. We can play something else."

Alvin took Simon over to the bar and told him to stay put while he went to make reservations for their rooms. As Simon sat there sipping his orange juice, a young woman with brown hair in a blue dress came over.

"Are you looking for a date?" she asked Simon, who didn't seem at all interested.

"I don't know."

"I'm Iris, by the way. What's your name?"

"Simon."

"Do you like me?"

"I don't know."

"Who's that guy with you? He looks hot."

"My brother."

"He looks a little young to be your brother."

"Yeah."

"What are you doing in Vegas anyway?"

"Counting cards."

"What else are you doing, Simon?"

"Counting cards."

"I know that. Do you want to go out with me sometime?"

"Are you taking any prescription medication?"

Iris looked insulted. "Forget it! I'm out of here."

As she walked off, Simon called out to her. "What time's the date?"

"Later!"

"What time?"

"10 o' clock!" she said in an effort to get him off her case.

"But I have to be in bed by 11. Yeah. Lights out by 11," said Simon.

It was at that moment that Alvin came back. "Hey Simon, I saw you with that girl. Who's she?"

"Iris."

Simon may have been a little eccentric, but Alvin thought he was doing fine scoring with the ladies.

"Okay, well, come with me. We've got penthouse suites now!"

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Next time on Sun Man: Somebody makes a comeback, and somebody falls in love. Or is it?_


	7. I Want To Know What Love Is

_One more chapter to go! With Alvin and Simon rocking it in Vegas, what happens when somebody returns into their lives? I don't own AaTC, Rain Man or the song that appears in this chapter. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 7: I Want To Know What Love Is**

The penthouse suite that Alvin mentioned was just one room, but it was the biggest thing that Simon had ever seen in his life. It was even bigger than the two rooms at the hotel they spent their first night together. In fact, this room had plenty of accommodations to house even a family of human-sized chipmunks.

"That girl, Iris, right? She must really like you," said Alvin as they got settled down. "You know, I've never even seen you in a fancy suit before."

"But it's not from K-Mart. Definitely not from K-Mart."

"How can you not like that suit? You look great, Simon."

"Of course, it's not from K-Mart."

"Simon, I'll let you in on a secret. You know why I don't shop at K-Mart? Because K-Mart sucks. Okay?"

"Yeah."

Alvin threw himself on the bed, heaving a sigh of relief. "I have to thank you, man. You just saved my ass, Simon. I owe you big time, you know that?"

"Yeah."

"And look where we are now, Si! I've got your bed by the window, just the way you like it. You are Mr. Las Vegas! What do you think, huh?"

Simon peered out at the glass balcony. "There's a lot of lights out there. It's very sparkly."

"We sure made a lot of money today, didn't we Simon?"

"Yeah."

Alvin sat up a little straighter. "Oh, and speaking of that, I... wanted to say that I'm sorry about losing that 3 grand at the Wheel of Fortune."

"Yeah," said Simon, just staring deadpan.

"No, I really mean it," said Alvin. "I got a little carried away. Too greedy, you know? So... what I'm trying to say... is that I want to apologize, Simon. I'm really, really sorry."

"Yeah, Wheel of Fortune."

Alvin took off his cap and ruffled his hair a bit. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better, Si?"

"I have a date. With Iris," replied Simon.

"A date? Oh, that's great," said Alvin, glad to change the subject.

"I have a date with Iris at the bar. 10 o'clock."

"Are you gonna dance with Iris? Do you dance, Simon?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know how to dance?"

"I don't know."

Here's a chance to redeem myself, thought Alvin. "Would you like me to teach you?"

"Yeah."

So Alvin got up and turned on Simon's portable TV. He flicked the channels until he came to one with an orchestra playing in the background. He walked over to Simon and put his right hand on his brother's waist. Simon recoiled slightly, but Alvin looked him gently in the eye.

"Simon, if you're going to learn how to dance, you've got to touch somebody. That's how we dance, okay?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not going to hurt you. I promise."

"Yeah." And Simon's hand found itself around Alvin's waist.

"Now since you're the guy, you're gonna have to lead. I'll be your date, so what you do is put your right hand by my waist." For the first time since Simon had barely got into body contact, Alvin got to experience his brother's grip. It was a little unsteady, yet gentle altogether.

The music was slowly building up into a song as Alvin and Simon slowly swayed to the gentle rhythm.

_At last, my love has come along_

_My lonely days are over_

_And life is like a song_

"Watch me, Si," said Alvin. "Just move your body to the music. Move your feet."

_Oh yeah, at last, the skies above are blue_

_My heart was wrapped up in clovers_

_The night I looked at you_

"Now when you're dancing, you can't stare down at the floor the whole time. So when I tell you to, look up, okay?"

"Yeah."

"Just slowly look up."

Simon's gaze moved from Alvin's feet until his blue eyes stared back into his brother's.

_I found a dream that I could speak to_

_A dream that I can call my own_

_I found a thrill to rest my cheek to_

_A thrill that I have never known_

"You're doing great, Simon," smiled Alvin.

_Oh yeah, when you smile, you smile_

_Oh, and then the spell was cast_

"Now this is dancing."

"Yeah, this is dancing," repeated Simon.

"I don't know about you, Si, but I'm starting to feel a little silly."

_And here we are in heaven_

_For you are mine, at last_

Both chipmunks were smiling by the time the song came to an end. They broke apart and laughed. "Alright! You're a great dancer, Simon!" applauded Alvin.

"Yeah."

"You wanna give me a hug?"

"Yeah."

Alvin put his arms around Simon. But the moment he did so, Simon screamed in terror and pushed Alvin back.

The red-clad chipmunk was stunned for the moment; he looked like a sad puppy abandoned on the streets. "I just wanted to give you a hug, Simon."

He was saved from the uncomfortable silence as the doorbell rang.

"Guess that'll be room service," said Alvin to himself, still feeling hurt and rejected.

Seconds later, all that changed when he opened the door to reveal a familiar face.

"Brittany!" exclaimed Alvin. "What are you doing here?"

The chippete was just as happy as her boyfriend was to see each other again. "I did a little sneaking about. Then Lenny told me you were in Vegas," she said.

"Well, it's great to see you again!"

"And I heard about the business." Brittany sounded a little sad. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay. Come here." Alvin pulled Brittany into an embrace and a kiss. "I missed you so much, baby."

"I missed you too, Alvie."

"Hey, Simon!" called Alvin. "Guess who's here?"

* * *

Alvin and Brittany were lying side by side on the master bed; they had left Simon with the huge plasma screen TV even though he was perfectly content with his portable set.

"It's not right – what you're doing with Simon," frowned Brittany.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine," reasoned Alvin.

"I mean, he's in Las Vegas earning big bucks, dressed in a fancy suit. Doesn't that make him uncomfortable at all?"

Alvin was about to reply when Simon burst in, clutching his miniature TV.

"Six minutes to my date. Six minutes to Iris."

* * *

Five minutes later, Simon and his TV found themselves downstairs at the bar, with Alvin and Brittany to accompany him, and to catch up on old times.

"Simon, why are you carrying that TV with you? You don't need it for your date," said Alvin.

Brittany, however, tried to be on the constructive side. "Uh Simon, what does Iris look like?"

"She's beautiful. Looks all sparkly. Like a holiday."

Two security guards who had been watching them for a while suddenly approached Alvin. "Mr. Seville, come with us," said one of them in a commanding tone.

"What did I do wrong?" asked Alvin.

"Our manager would like to see you. NOW," said the other in reply.

Alvin raise both hands in agreement, then he turned to his girlfriend. "Brittany, why don't you stay with Simon? Just watch him for a while till I get back, okay?"

"Sure."

As Alvin left the scene, the chippete glanced worriedly at Simon, who didn't seem in the least bit at unease.

"It's one minute after ten," said Simon.

"Don't worry, she'll come..."

* * *

The head of security, a Mr. Kelso, was now encircling Alvin as though the chipmunk was a horse for sale. "Congratulations, Mr. Seville. I don't know how you did it, but you've managed to beat our casino system. A little too close for comfort, I think," he sneered.

"I don't know what you're talking about," defied Alvin, folding his arms.

"Mr. Seville, we've rigged up CCTVs earlier on to monitor your card games. Then we analysed them and even share some of the information with other casinos. The footages we have suggest you take your winnings and get the hell out of here."

"With all due respect, Mr. Kelso, somebody has lady luck shining down upon him and you accuse them of illegal activities? Is that the way you treat your customers?" Alvin fired back.

Mr. Kelso leaned forward until his eyes bore straight into Alvin's. "Just keep your mouth shut and walk out, vermin. I'd say those are the best odds you have in your hand right now..."

This was definitely a fight Alvin knew he had to back out before the wildfires grew out of control.

* * *

Meanwhile, half an hour had passed in the bar, and there were still no signs of either Iris or Alvin.

It was getting late, so Brittany gently nudged Simon and the two chipmunks left the bar and waited by the elevator. Perhaps Alvin would be back in their suite by now.

"Did you want to dance on your date, Simon?" asked Brittany.

"Yeah."

Simon didn't look sad, but Brittany thought he could use do with some cheering up. "Don't worry. They'll be plenty of other dates for you."

"Yeah."

"Plenty of girls will want to dance with you. It's gonna be okay, Simon."

"Yeah."

The lift arrived with a ping and they got in. As Brittany watched Simon who never took his eyes off the TV screen, an idea popped into her head. She pressed the emergency button, which brought the life to a sudden stop.

"Uh oh, uh oh. Elevator's stopped."

"I like this music," smiled Brittany as she pointed to Simon's TV.

"Uh oh, elevator's definitely stuck."

"It's okay. Do you think you can show me how you were going to dance with Iris?"

"Yeah."

"Would you like to dance with me?" asked Brittany.

"Yeah."

Simon put the TV down and placed his hand around Brittany's waist, just like Alvin taught him to. They waltzed around in that enclosed space, where time seemed to have froze except for the ongoing tune of the music.

"You're very good," smiled the chippete, breathing in the male aroma that was Simon.

"Yeah. Alvin Seville taught me."

Brittany chuckled lightly. "Alvin taught you how to dance?"

"Yeah. Dancing in the elevator."

Simon and Brittany swayed for what seemed to feel like eternity, when the chippete asked all of a sudden, "Have you ever been kissed before, Simon?"

"I don't know."

"You mean, you've never been kissed before?"

"I don't know."

"Okay. Open your mouth."

Simon opened his mouth wide, but he looked like a patient getting a check up at the doctor's.

Brittany chuckled. "No,no. Lower, like you're tasting something. Something very good and soft." She leaned closer to Simon until their lips finally touched. Their mouths slowly explored each other's, as subtle as a lover's touch.

"How did that feel?" asked Brittany once they pulled away gently.

"Wet," replied Simon.

"Then we did it right."

The chipmunks laughed. "Iris sure missed out on a good date," smiled Brittany.

"Yeah."

"And a kiss," she added.

"Yeah. Definitely a kiss."

* * *

Morning came and it was time to hit the road once more. Only this time, Alvin had promised he would let Simon behind the Buick's wheel with no hesitation.

"Are you sure about this?" asked Brittany, who sat next to Alvin in the back seat.

"Of course, I'm an excellent driver," said Simon for the hundredth time.

"Don't worry, he's good on the driveway," reassured Alvin.

And true to his word, Simon drove that Buick like a professional all the way to Brittany's apartment, which happened to be a mile's drive to Alvin's home.

Once they arrived, Alvin got out to see Brittany in and told his brother to scoot over to the passenger's seat - Alvin would drive for the remaining of the journey.

"I'll call you immediately after Simon's hearing," promised Alvin as he escorted Brittany to the door.

"Don't worry Alvin, it's gonna be fine."

"I know – I'm just a little nervous."

"Oops, I almost forgot!" Brittany went back to Simon.

"Thank you for that date in the elevator, Simon," she whispered so that Alvin wouldn't hear her. "It was really nice."

"Yeah."

She gave Simon a quick peck on the cheek and bid him goodbye.

"What was that about?" asked Alvin when Brittany returned.

"Nothing. It's just a little secret between us," she said.

"I'm really glad you came to Vegas," smiled Alvin as he locked lips with Brittany. "I'll make it up to you when this is all over, I promise. I love you, you know that?"

"I love you too, Alvin."

As the Buick drove off into the horizon, Brittany waved at the two chipmunks that brought meaning to her life. In her heart, she silently prayed that Alvin was right, and he would win his brother's case...

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Will Simon remain with Alvin, or will he go back to Dr. Theo? Stay tuned for the conclusion!_

_As always, please read and review! :)_


	8. Decision Time

_This is it! My longest chapter to go off with a bang! I haven't tried to pull off somewhat of a tearjerker like I did with my first fanfic, but I hope you'll love it nonetheless. One more time, happy reading!  
_

**Chapter 8: Decision Time**

After six long, gruesome days on the road, the Buick finally stopped in LA – Alvin's house, to be exact.

Alvin gave a quick tour of the place to Simon, who didn't seem in the least bit interested – or it could be because he just didn't look like it.

"Here we are, Simon. There's your bed by the window. And I've got a surprise for you!"

That evening, the chipmunks sat at the TV room. Alvin had got Simon a video of the first season of the People's Court, and they watched in glee as they ate cheese balls on toothpicks and sipped their apple juice. For Alvin, this experience clearly beat going to the movies anytime.

Their moment of brotherhood was shattered momentarily by the landline phone ringing. Alvin picked it up.

"Seville residence. Alvin, the hot one, speaking."

"Mr. Seville, it's Dr. Theo. I'm calling to remind you that Simon's hearing is tomorrow."

Alvin's face darkened. "I know that! If you're calling to gain my sympathy, it's not gonna work!"

"Alvin, if you're still insisting on fighting for Simon's rights, I need to talk to you."

"About what?" snapped Alvin.

"Your father Dave left me in charge of the money, right? So it doesn't matter whether or not you win custody of Simon – I don't have to pay you a dime," said Dr. Theo.

"Why's that?"

"Your brother's a disabled individual. If you go against me on a case like this, it's a lost cause."

"So you can't lose?"

"I can lose Simon. But I care greatly about your brother's life and his treatment."

It was a good thing that Dr. Theo was on the other line. Otherwise, Alvin would have been tempted to strange the little munchkin.

"It's not a matter of you against me, Alvin," reminded Dr. Theo. "It's not about winning or losing."

"I asked you a week ago why anyone didn't tell me that I had a brother. You didn't answer me." Alvin drew a long sigh. "I just realised that I'm not mad at Dave anymore for cutting me out of his will. I deserved it. I never called back – I was a jerk.

"But this isn't about the money anymore, Theo. I...I just don't understand. Why didn't anyone tell me I had a brother?"

"What difference would it make?" asked Dr. Theo. Alvin felt a little ashamed at hearing his own words being turned on him, but he answered:

"Because it would've been nice to know Simon for more than just the past six days."

And he slammed down the phone.

* * *

Simon awoke early the next morning, his stomach growling. Not wanting to wake Alvin, the chipmunk scampered off to the kitchen. He searched along the cupboards and drawers, but found nothing except a packet of toaster waffles. Simon took the waffles out and put them in the oven. Then he poked his head into the fridge and downed an entire bottle of orange juice.

Unfortunately, Simon wasn't familiar with technology, so he had left the oven running longing than expected – with the plastic covering still coating the waffles. It wasn't long before smoke started to fill the room and the smoke alarm went off. The noise was deafening, but to Simon, it was the scariest thing he ever heard.

The chipmunk dropped the bottle of maple syrup he was holding and ran for the back door. He shook the door frantically, but Alvin had always kept it locked for safety purposes. Simon banged himself against the walls, screaming his head off in an attempt to drown out the smoke alarm.

Alvin heard the commotion and ran to the kitchen, where he saw his brother become a live battering ram, trying desperately to escape this death trap. Quickly, he yanked the plug from the oven. Then Alvin grabbed a broom and brought the smoke alarm crashing to the ground with a couple of swipes.

"Si! Simon, SIMON!" Alvin pulled his brother away from the door. The bespectacled chipmunk hugged his knees as he sat on the floor, now a complete nervous wreck. Alvin petted him gently; comforting him like a father would with his upset son.

"It's okay, Simon. It's stopped. Everything's gonna be okay."

* * *

"Raspberry, blueberry, whole wheat, peachy keen, beer nut, rocky road, buckwheat-"

"What kind of pancakes do you want, Si?"

Since breakfast at home turned out to be a bad idea, Alvin took Simon out to a nearby pancake restaurant. The blue-clad chipmunk read off the items on the menu while Alvin took their orders.

"There's no maple syrup on the table. Definitely got to have maple syrup before the pancakes arrive," Simon muttered.

"Hey, Simon." Alvin whipped out a red handkerchief. When he finished waving it at Simon, he slowly removed the bottle of maple syrup he was carefully hiding the whole time. "Ta-da!"

Simon saw the funny side of it, and the chipmunks burst into laughter.

"Alvin Seville made a joke," smiled Simon.

"Fooled you there, didn't I?"

"Yeah."

* * *

After breakfast, they arrived at the legislative office, where the battle for Simon's rights was about to begin. There were no other witnesses, only Alvin, Simon, Dr. Theo and another shrink (but more experienced) were present in the mini court room.

"This isn't a legal proceeding," explained Dr. Theo. "In other words, no lawyers, no judges. Just the ones who care about Simon. We're here to just make a recommendation to the final court."

The shrink cleared his throat and addressed Alvin. "I must tell you firstly that Dr. Theo is a much respected professional. Simon's case has been observed over the years and Wallbrook is one of the finest institutions providing such medical treatment."

"And I'm here to tell you that Simon has bonded with me more than he has with Dr. Theo in 20 years," replied Alvin, ready to defend Simon at all costs.

"Well, why don't we ask Simon about it?" The shrink caught Simon's attention, and he started:

"Simon, what did you do last week?"

"Counted cards in Las Vegas."

"Your brother took you to Las Vegas?"

"Won 300,000 dollars in chips. Lost 3 thousand on Wheel of Fortune. Pitiful 20."

"What else did you do?"

"Danced with Alvin Seville."

"He wanted to learn how to dance, so I taught him," said Alvin.

"Danced with Brittany. Kissed Brittany in the elevator."

"You kissed Brittany?" asked Alvin, this time with no hard feelings attached.

"Yeah."

"Was that the first time you kissed a woman?" asked the shrink.

"I don't know."

"And how did it feel?"

"Wet."

Everybody in the room chuckled. "You sure had a fun week, didn't you, Simon?" asked the shrink.

"Yeah."

"Did you drive on the road?"

"I'm an excellent driver. Slow on the driveway."

The shrink then turned to face Alvin. "Did Simon have any emotional outbursts? Were there times when he physically hurt himself?"

Alvin nodded. "Okay, there were a couple of times. He freaked out at the airport because he didn't want to fly – he's scared of planes. Then this morning, the smoke alarm in my place went off. He got nervous, but he's fine now."

"You are aware that you can't care for your brother without personal guidance?"

The tiger within Alvin lashed out. "I had a dad that I hardly knew and a mom I didn't know at all! Now I find out that I have a brother, and I want to be with him! What, I'm supposed to just give him up?"

"Mr. Seville, there's no need to be defensive-"

"I'm not hurting Simon! Simon's not hurting me! He's my family! WHY ARE YOU INTERFERING WITH MY FAMILY?"

"We understand what you're going through, Alvin," said Dr. Theo. "But the problem is, your brother's not capable of having a relationship with you."

"That's your opinion!" spat Alvin. "Did you spend an entire week with Simon, 24-7?"

"Dr. Theo also states that you stole Simon out of the institution and you were willing to trade him back for one and a half million dollars. Is that correct?" asked the shrink.

Alvin sighed. "Okay, I'll admit that. But my father had just passed. I was upset. That was wrong."

"So your kidnapping slowly became a devotion to your brother?"

"Kidnapping is a very strong word," said Alvin. "I didn't kidnap my brother. When I first got to know Simon, he was just my brother... in name. But this morning, when we had breakfast-"

"Pancakes," Simon cut in. "Pancakes with maple syrup. And Alvin Seville made a joke."

Alvin smiled at his brother, a tear forming at the corner of his eye. "I felt a connection with him. He's like the dad I wanted to know my whole life."

The shrink straightened up his notes. "Well that's fine and all, but we still know that Simon is incapable of making proper decisions for himself."

"You're wrong about that. Simon's capable of a lot more than you know," said Alvin.

"If I may." The shrink looked at Simon, who was now staring at the ceiling. "Simon, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah."

"Simon, do you want to stay with your brother?"

"Yeah."

"You want to stay with your brother, Alvin Seville, in Los Angeles?"

"Yeah."

Alvin beamed with pride. There was a brief pause.

"Can I ask you something else, Simon?" the shrink continued.

"Yeah."

"Do you want to go back to Wallbrook?"

"Yeah."

"Simon, can you tell the difference between your brother and Wallbrook?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want to stay with your brother?"

"Yeah."

"Or go back to Wallbrook?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, alright! That's enough!" yelled Alvin, cutting the shrink off. "You don't have to humiliate Simon any more, okay? I get your point." Holding back the tears, he looked at Simon. "It's over, Si. No more questions."

"Yeah."

The shrink and Dr. Theo stood up and headed for the door. Obviously, the cards were now in their hands. And there was nothing that could be done.

Alvin felt his lip quivering. There was a tug pulling at his heart, but he steeled himself as he looked as calmly as possible at Simon.

"You okay, Simon?"

"Yeah."

"You don't want any more questions, do you?"

"Yeah."

He sat next to his brother and petted his shoulder.

"No more questions for you, Si – I'll make sure of that."

"Yeah."

"Simon, I don't know if I'm ever going to have a chance to talk to you again."

Alvin was struggling to keep a calm composure. "You see, Dr. Theo likes you a lot. He likes you very much, and he's probably going to take you back to Wallbrook.

"But what I said back there – about connecting with you on the road..." Alvin sobbed. "I really, really mean it."

"Of course, I'm an excellent driver."

The red-clad chipmunk's sniffs turned into a smile. "I like having you as my brother."

They sat there in silence. Simon leaned forward until their foreheads pressed close together, as though they were channelling their positive thoughts towards each other. The memories, the past few days, his brief childhood all rushed past Alvin's mind. In his heart, Alvin felt like crying, but he pulled himself together, looking at the face that had brought him genuine happiness.

"I'm proud to have you for a big brother, Simon."

He kissed Simon's forehead.

As Alvin walked to look out the window, he didn't notice that Simon had a smile on his face, but he heard his brother muttering:

"A-L-V-I-N. Alvin Seville. Alvin. My main man."

And that was enough to keep the rain clouds away, if only for a brief moment...

* * *

Finally, the big day arrived. Alvin took Simon to the train station, where Dr. Theo was waiting to take him back to Wallbrook. At the last minute, they brought Brittany along, because she too wanted to say goodbye to Simon.

"Simon, don't you think you'll be a lot more comfy in your K-Mart clothes?" asked Dr. Theo as they met up.

"Tell him, Simon," Alvin grinned.

"K-Mart sucks."

"Oh, I see. Well, I've got the tickets here. Why don't you take a minute to say goodbye? I'll see you, Alvin."

Alvin gave a brief nod. "See you, Dr. Theo."

As the three chipmunks walked Simon to the train, Alvin and Brittany burst into laughter.

"You made a joke there, Simon!" smiled Alvin.

"Yeah."

Brittany gave Simon a knapsack. "Here, Simon. It's got your cheese balls, apple juice, notebooks, pens and your videos of People's Court. You like that, don't you?"

"Yeah. That's a very sparkly train."

"Mm-hm. Very shiny," agreed Alvin.

"Now listen, Si. Dr. Theo only has custody of you. But that doesn't mean I can't visit you. So," Alvin grinned, revealing his shiny buck teeth. "Brittany and I are gonna come see you in two weeks, okay?"

"Yeah."

"How many days is that?" asked the chippete.

"Of course, that's 14 days from today. Today's Wednesday."

"And how many hours?"

"336 hours."

Alvin smiled. "Now that's mystifying."

"Of course that's 20,160 minutes. Yeah. 1,290,600 seconds."

As Simon got into the train, Alvin called out to him again.

"Yeah?"

The chipmunk ran a hand through his hair. "I'll see you soon."

"Yeah. One for bad, two for good."

"Bet two for good."

Simon glanced at his watch. "Uh oh, three minutes to People's Court!"

It felt like only yesterday when Alvin first got to know his brother, and he had said almost exactly the same words. He winked at Simon.

"You'll make it."

Alvin and Brittany watched in silence as the train began to pad out of the station. Simon had the window seat, but he never once looked out, nor did he see his brother wave goodbye.

The chipmunk reached into his pocket and put on a pair of sunglasses, not to shield his eyes from the sun's gentle lights, but to hide the tears that were now flowing freely.

Brittany put an arm around Alvin, and he hugged her in return.

With his girl by his side, life would still go on and Alvin could be his smiling self.

Perhaps somewhere in his dreams, the Sun Man would come to sing in his sleep once more...

**~ The End ~  
**

* * *

_And that's a wrap (sob)! :( I hope you had a great time reading this as much as I had fun writing it._

_The good news, however, is that now I'll be starting on the requested sequel to Innocence Lost. Thanks to you guys, I got a lot of lovely reviews asking me if I would carry on, and the answer is yes!_

_So keep an eye on that, and I'll see you soon._

_Don't forget to review, please and thank you!_


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